Thousands gathered to see The Band CAMINO play at the UCCU Center on Sept. 30. One moment made this concert especially unique — when band members brought someone out from the audience to play drums for them.
Lead singer Jeffery Jordan saw BYU student and local drummer Mikey Iacopucci holding up a sign that read, “It’s my b-day, can I play drums?” and then let him come up to play.
“The entire arena exploded…” said Bryn Greenhalgh, a BYU senior in attendance that night. “The place (was) just like buzzing, like everyone was so excited to see him do his thing.”
Iacopucci, a BYU senior from New Hampshire studying public relations, said he has been a longtime fan of The Band CAMINO. Iacopucci plays the drums for his own band, 19 Miles Per Hour, so he felt capable of taking the stage. Since his birthday was the day after the concert, he decided to bring the sign and see what happened.
Iacopucci said security guards were going to take away his sign, but stage manager Cale Conrad interceded and said he could hold onto it
According to Iacopucci, Conrad had a similar experience at a concert for the band “Arizona,” where Conrad held up a sign and was called up to play the drums. The video of Conrad drumming went viral, and he tried to pay it forward by helping Iacopucci.
Iacopucci posted a TikTok while he waited for the concert to start saying he was going to hold up the sign, and The Band CAMINO’s TikTok account responded with “can you play to a click?”
Iacopucci responded to their comment with an emphatic yes, and got his sign from Conrad to hold up before the song “2/14.”
Greenhalgh said Jordan read Iacopucci’s sign to the crowd.
“This guy’s asking for him to be able to play the drums on ‘2/14’ because it’s his birthday (Jordan said) … and then he paused and he was like, and we’re gonna let him,” Greenhalgh said.
Iacopucci took the stage. Drummer Garrison Burgess helped him set up on the drums.
“I felt like we were all in the stadium like rooting for him. Because we could tell it was such a big moment,” Greenhalgh said. “It just went off without a hitch … He killed it. Sounded amazing.”
Iacopucci’s friend and fellow BYU student Abby Kooyman was also at the concert. She said everyone in the audience was “stoked” to see him play the drums. The band members and photographers hyped him up, she said, while Iacopucci had the biggest smile on his face.
Iacoppuci said his experience was surreal. While he performs frequently in the Utah County area with his band, he said this was the biggest crowd he had ever played for. He was happy but also wanted to prove himself.
“Even though when I was up there, I definitely didn’t play it exactly how I know how to play it, but I was nervous. I couldn’t think straight,” Iacopucci said.
Kooyman said she was almost tearing up watching Iacopucci perform.
“I know how important exposure for his band is and something like this is huge for him, and so I was literally just like so excited for him,” Kooyman said.
After the concert, The Band CAMINO posted a video of the song with Iacopucci on their TikTok and Instagram, as did 19 Miles Per Hour. According to Iacopucci, the reel from The Band CAMINO had more than 100,000 views in 24 hours. Both Iacopucci’s personal Instagram and his band’s account have received more followers in the days since then, and their monthly listeners on Spotify have increased.
Iacopucci hopes his appearance at the concert will encourage more people to listen to 19 Miles Per Hour. Describing their sound as “indie rock pop punk vibes mixed,” Iacopucci said fans of The Band CAMINO would enjoy their music.
Iacopucci started 19 Miles Per Hour in New Hampshire with his brother and a high school friend. Their first appearance in Utah was in Battle of the Bands at BYU in 2019. The band is currently composed of Iacopucci, his brother Daniel, Ethan Jenkins and Arthur Prusso. Iaocopucci said he plays the drums for the band, but also sings, writes their songs, handles their bookings and more.
The music Iacopucci writes is focused on creating an environment where people feel comfortable being themselves. Iacopucci said he has struggled a lot with his mental health and writes about his experiences to raise awareness.
“I just wanted to be able to share my experience feeling that lonely with other people, so they didn’t feel as alone,” Iacopucci said.
Kooyman described Iacopucci as chill, funny and passionate about his music and ridiculously talented. When Kooyman had her own mental struggles, she said Iacopucci was one of the people who helped her get through it.
“He was one of those people that like, I could talk to and he would actually get it,” Kooyman said.
She hopes Iacopucci’s experience drumming at the concert will give him more exposure and connections.
19 Miles Per Hour’s next performance is at Buzzards and Bees on Oct. 21. Ultimately, Iacopucci said he wants to one day open for The Band CAMINO — maybe even on their next tour.
